Utopia (Channel 4)

[Blencathra]

Here are some more details on Channel 4's new series

Casting announced on new C4 drama series Utopia

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/n...-series-utopia

What is Utopia?

u·to·pi·a

1

a. often Utopia An ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects.

b. A cult graphic novel about a scientist who makes a deal with the Devil and whose pages are rumoured to have predicted the worst disasters of the last century.

Paul Higgins (In the Loop, The Thick of It), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits), Alexandra Roach (The Iron Lady) and Neil Maskell (Kill List) head up a stunning ensemble cast of UK talent including James Fox (Sherlock Holmes, A Passage to India, Performance), Geraldine James (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) Simon McBurney (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Fiona O' Shaughnessy (Outcast, Malice, Aforethought), Adeel Akhtar (The Dictator, Four Lions), Oliver Woolford (Blackout) and Michael Smiley (Kill List) who find themselves embroiled in a cult conspiracy theory turned terrifyingly real in the brand-new six-part drama series Utopia for Channel 4.

The Utopia Experiments is a legendary graphic novel shrouded in mystery. But when Ian, Becky, Grant and Wilson Wilson, a small group of previously unconnected people find themselves in possession of an original manuscript of the fabled book, their lives suddenly and brutally implode.

Targeted swiftly and relentlessly by a murderous organisation known as The Network this terrified group are left with only one option if they want to survive: they have to run.

But how do you run, when your every move can be tracked? How do you disappear when The Network can shine a light into the darkest of corners? Can you really trust those you've only just met when your life is on the line?

When help appears to come in the form of the mysterious Jessica Hyde, who promises to keep them safe, what choice is there but to believe her? As their world goes dark and all they previously knew is wrenched from them, the four strangers must shed their past and come together in order to survive this violent new future.

The linear drama will incorporate an exciting multi-platform experience created by TH_NK, the digital agency behind J.K. Rowling's Pottermore. The agency is set to work with the production team, Kudos and scriptwriter Dennis Kelly to build digital thinking into the production. TH_NK is designing an experience that plays off the paranoia of the thriller, engaging viewers and encouraging debate around some of the drama's biggest themes. The experience will play out in the run up to TX and extend the experience across the six episodes.

Currently filming, Utopia (6 x 60') is written by Dennis Kelly, the co-creator of the Olivier Award winning Matilda, and was greenlit for Channel 4 by Chief Creative Officer Jay Hunt. Directed by Marc Munden (The Mark of Cain, The Crimson Petal and the White), Utopia will be produced by Kudos Film & TV for Channel 4. The producer is Rebekah Wray-Rogers (This is England '88) and executive producers are Karen Wilson (Hustle, Spooks), Jane Featherstone (Spooks, Life on Mars, The Hour) and Dennis Kelly (Pulling)

[knowles2]

Sounds absolutely brilliant, an expensive, but Kudos have produce some brilliant shows and Channel four is really getting behind producing more home grown dramas. Hope to hear or see more about this show soon, hopefully they will start off the online experience soon.

[Ian-S]

"The Network" sounds a bit like the organisation in BBC's Hidden.

[Blencathra]

Teaser trailer for new C4 graphic novel drama Utopia

http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/utopia/2...l-drama-utopia

New original drama Utopia starts on Channel Four on the 15th of January, and it looks well worth a watch...

Starting on Channel Four on the 15th of January is six-part drama series Utopia, from Pulling and the Matilda stage musical co-writer Dennis Kelly. It's the story of a group of young people who find themselves in possession of a cult graphic novel thought to predict global disasters, and the attempts that shady organisation The Network make to get hold of it. We liked the premise so much Utopia made our list of UK TV shows to look out for in 2012, er, and early 2013, as it turns out.

With Kelly and a cast including the likes of Misfits's Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Alexandra Roach, Neil Maskell and Michael Smiley from Kill List, James Fox, Four Lions' Adeel Akhtar and The Thick of It's Paul Higgins, Utopia has all the makings of a great new cult series. Not that this stylised teaser trailer tells us much...

[Blencathra]

I've just found this vid as well.

Ignore the 15th September bit on the title of the vid. Somebody made a bit of a mistake.

[dipsofjazz]

Thanks Blen. It looks interesting.

[Blencathra]

Just a quick reminder that this show starts tomorrow - 15th January, Channel 4 and Channel 4 HD at 10 pm. It will then be on 4oD afterwards.

[knowles2]

Looking interesting. But I am hoping they do not overplay the comedy angle, a few interviews have me worried they have. An the humour will drain all of the drama out of the show. Hope I am wrong.

[Blencathra]

Well I really don't know quite what to make of that. For a show only 6 episodes long I thought it would have been a little more snappy & moved along a lot faster. I nearly gave up watching half way through as it was getting so tedious but it got going more towards the end. The characters are a pretty boring bunch. The one I liked best was Wilson Wilson with all his daft conspiracy ideas. Maybe not so daft after all. But the boy and the man who works for the Dept of Health I really don't care much about. In fact I can't even remember their names. I'm also not particularly interested in the comic and it's relationship to the disease. I don't know if I'll be watching next week. It just isn't sufficiently interesting and the characters don't grab me.

[dipsofjazz]

I agree, Blen, although I think I'll watch next week just to see if it moves a wee bit quicker now the characters have been introduced and the basic story laid out.

[Ian-S]

Yeah I'll probably watch too, it's different enough to everything else on tv to warrant it.

I did LOL at them fumbling around in the shelter very drunkly trying to get it on though, reminded me of my youth

[12OzMouse]

I agree that it moved very slow in spots. I alternated between feeling it was brilliant and original to wondering if I could stick it out for the whole hour. I'll be tuning in next week, tho. I was hoping that they would have united the whole group by the end of the first episode as now I fear getting with the kid might get drawn out next week too. Hope not, it has a chance to be really interesting....

[Blencathra]

Broadcast Now have an article about Utopia's first episode viewing figures, but unfortunately I can't read it as I'm not a member. It doesn't seem to have done very well. The only bit I can see says "Channel 4’s dark conspiracy drama Utopia failed to launch with a bang – tracking down an audience of little more than 1m."

Mind you I never take much notice of overnight viewing figures any more.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/rating...&contentID=988

[knowles2]

Broadcast Now have an article about Utopia's first episode viewing figures, but unfortunately I can't read it as I'm not a member. It doesn't seem to have done very well. The only bit I can see says "Channel 4’s dark conspiracy drama Utopia failed to launch with a bang – tracking down an audience of little more than 1m."

Mind you I never take much notice of overnight viewing figures any more.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/rating...&contentID=988

A brilliant show, it nice to have a bit of graphic violence on TV and a show that clearly not going to shy away from showing the audience everything that is going on. The characters were well acted, even the kid. Love the killing of the cop at the end, a precise stab to the throat, what better way to kill someone. An the torture scene was sickening, exactly like it should be. Some of it was a bit over stylise for my liking, which put me off a bit and the Russian flu vaccine bit was a tag boring. But I will be back next week to watch the second episode. Let hope it doesn't have a rubbish ending like secret state did.





It was on at 10 o'clock and went on till half eleven, which is a weird time for a show, an pretty late, hope that lots of people watch it on 4OD. Through it make me sad that channel 5 got 2.32 million viewers for big brother.

here the ratings

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/rating...&contentID=870

This comment raise my hopes;

Anonymous |
16-Jan-2013 11:38 am

Worth noting that the last 15 minutes between 11:15 and 11:30 actually includes the programme Random Acts. The drop is not as dramatic when you look closely, Utopia finished on over 700k...

[Ian-S]

Another episode in the bag, I can't see this lasting tbh, it's either gonna be labelled as an "excuse to glorify violence", or too complicated a story for average Joe to get their fat lazy arse into.

Obvious where they are going, Utopia 2 holds the antidote formula, and probably the guys mystery identity.

I have to say it's hard to take it seriously when the main assassins were an anorexic Elvis impersonator and someone who doesn't look like he knows what planet he's on half the time, let alone what day of the week it is, he's intriguing though, wonder what has made him that way? or maybe he's a robot?

Still I'll keep watching, it's about the only thing worth watching on TV at the moment.